Please don’t waste your money.
In March of 2006 I decided to splurge on a top-of-the-line washer and dryer. I use Consumer Reports regularly and I research anything I’m about to buy months before purchase. When I researched the Kenmore Elite Oasis Washer and Dryer, I read nothing but fantastic reports.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Alexandria Jackson
Oh Marie, I'm glad you have your sense of humor. But you'll never be bored at Sears, you'll be bored at home waiting for the technician.....
27 - Janice Danbury, CT
WOW! I am so sorry for you but quite happy its not only me......... I am so disgusted with Sears. We too have the Kenmore Elite Oasis, dream washer/dryer but we paid full price. They stink and are only 16 months old! The washer constantly refuses to spin, if you notice is does not have a spin only cycle either, so once restarted you need to waste water in order to spin your clothes. When It goes into a spin cycle is bounces around my basement and then goes in to a UL code and the lid unlocks itself. Three weeks ago, just past the MR expiration it flooded half our basement! The water was almost covering the base of my brand new eliptical! When we called Sears to complain they told us our warranty expired but for the LOW cost of $227.56 we can have a new warranty and they can send someone to our home for repair in TWO weeks. Lucky us, we were off to our local laundromat a place I used to frequent BEFORE I spent $2,000 on a high-end washer/dryer.
Today was our big day... the tech was to come to our home between 8-12, my husband took a vacation day from work. At 9:12 when the repair man called our home it was the one minute my husband in the loo. No phone number was left, just a message Hi this is sears sorry you were not home. At 9:20 a representative called our home to reschedule our appointment. Needless to say I was irate and spent the day on the phone with Sears Repair. Now we are rescheduled for Saturday, after I refused to relent and let poor "Bob" off the phone. I am happy to read all of these blogs so I can be prepared to go back to the laundromat this weekend too! Please respond we are very willing to go for a class action suit. This is a very inferior product! Not only did we drop the inital money we have had to spend money at the laundromat, on a wet vac to clear out the 4 inches of water in our basement and replace our wrkout mats and equipemnt. UGH!
28 - Brett
I to will never buy another sears product. I have the Kenmore Elite washer and dryer. The handle on the dryer has broken off twice - a terrible design!!! The washer has been called for service 3 times in 8 months. Error code, beeping, stopping in the middle of the cycle - all the same problems everybody else reports. My last not very fancy washer and dryer without a computer on it lasted 15 years with out a service call. This thing is a hunk of junk and I also refuse to buy the service plan. I've never boughgt a service plan on anything before and never looked back. This time, I'm not so sure. The waiting for repair person is a joke also. I was told they would be out between 8-12 3 days prior to my appointment and then the night before they called and said sorry it would be between 11-3. That is ridiculous - can't wait around forever for somebody to come and fix my washer every month.
29 - mm
The amazing thing is that nothing goes wrong until just after the manufacturer's warranty expires. These are typical crap american products. Over-engineered and under-warrantied. Poor to non-existent documentation, indecipherable error conditions. No available customer support, but to schedule a local fix-it guy to come and kick the tires. Ridiculous. Just a scheme to sell you the "protection" policy for a product they know is sub-standard.
I, too, had a whirlpool generic w/d combo that was 25 years old. 25 years! These POS lasted 15 months. Never Sears, never again. They are all that is wrong with American products. I'd rather pay a 2x premium (never mind what the exchange is going to rake us for) to buy something from a Bosch, or Miehle, or something that is going to either last or have a real manufacturer to stand behind.
I cannot say this often or clearly enough: DO NOT BUY THE KENMORE ELITE ANYTHING.
30 - Will
Just an update on my Kenmore Elite products from the post above. Well we ended up buying the service plans on all of them and are putting them up for sale locally. I had to chuckle when Sears called and wanted me to pay 3 yrs in advance for service plans on all of the products. We said no thanks and told them we are selling these next year when the service plan is close to being up.
We just put in another service call for the dishwasher (3 times now) and also for the 3'rd time on the refrigerator. Plastic door latches and plastic shelves the crack and break if something falls out of the refridgerator does not seem like a good idea especially if it is cheap plastic. Not to mention the buttons to open up the meat and fruit tray will not come out now.
The service guy was out here last week to fix the microwave because it did not heat. I feel sorry for Sears because the cost of the repair guy driving 120 miles round trip has to cost not to mention his time. And this is good buisness in Sears eye......
Again folks keep it simple and stupid, buy cheap ones that you throw out and replace forget this "high tech" crap from China.
31 - KS
We purchased a full line of appliances from Sears just a few years ago and, much to my annoyance, after about 13 months, I attempted to clean my self-cleaning oven and received an error code. As it was past the warranty (despite the fact that I rarely cook and only actually used the self-clean feature twice) I thought I would let it go as I wasn't going to pay to have that particular non-essential feature serviced.
Now, starting last week, my Kenmore front loading washer has decided to breakdance across the floor whenever it's used. Upon researching the issue, I find that the bearings tend to go on these units with some regularity, costing more than the price of the washer to repair.
As they are both less than 5 years old, it is reasonable to expect that they would still be functional and usable. An issue such as a bearing going on a washer, a crucial part, should be covered for the better part of the advertised life of the product. Not a mere fraction of it.
I will be purchasing a new washer as opposed to having this one repaired. My apologies to the environment as it will be a cheaper top loader that I will consider disposable if after a few years it decides to self destruct. This has been a lesson learned regarding both high end appliance purchases and Sears as well as I cannot believe that anyone feels Sears is in any way justified regardless of what they offer you in terms of extended warranties etc. Their cavalier attitude will likely result in their demise as a respected, reputable company.
Purchasing high end appliances should not be comparable to a day at the casino.
Will I get lucky?!?
32 - Joanne Huspek
Alexandria (and other above): An inside tip. If you are not getting satisfaction from the service department, take your case to the store manager. If you don't get relief there, call Sears Corporate in Schaumburg, IL. You won't believe how fast the phone will ring back to the store manager.
I also have the Kenmore Elite. I haven't had problems with its operation, but we bought ours about five years ago. My problem was getting the pedestals delivered without dings. I had four delivered at various times, all dented from the box. The fourth time the delivery dispatch called to tell me the fifth one was going to be the last one, dinged or not. I called the store manager and politely told him in no uncertain terms would I accept a dented pedestal.
Fifth time was a charm.
33 - Laura
I also did my research, but here's the problem:
You are buying a new product, and the research is based on what the tests for this new product goes through; however, those testing don't have access to the product for years; typically only months. So if you were going to buy the HE3 now, you'd find all these issues and use that to make your buying decision. Back when these first came out, you didn't have that as an option.
My friendly Sears technician (# 3 in as many weeks) just fixed my problem, and kindly started a load for me without being asked. I purchased a 3 year warranty; however, I'm in my 4th year and that's when the F11 started flashing. One tech said it was the central control board; another said it was the motor control board. #2 ordered the Motor board; #3 thought it was the central, but installed the Motor board because he didn't have the central in his truck. He then got this washer to work. But, he suggested I order a minimum 1 year, in case F11 started flashing and it turned out to be both the motor and central. So I just signed up for a 2 year MA contract. He also told me that since I'd been using full strength detergent (though a smaller amount) that it could impact the bearings ... they typically have to replace those at a large cost. Now, I'm prepared for the F11, and the bearings to break!!
I HATE to pay for add'l warranty because it screams 'defective warning' to me, and I expect better products out of Sears; now I know better!
34 - Leslie Quick
Bought the Sears Kenmore Elite HE5 steam washer and dryer set in twilight blue... on August 14th, 2008. Worked beautifully for the first 3 weeks. THEN, the dryer started making a terrible noise on every turn of the drum. And within that same week, the washer started leaking onto the floor. After reading all of the negative reviews, I told them I just wanted my money back. The Sears One Source 800 # said I could do that by paying a restocking fee of 15% or else let the technician come out since it was still under a 90 day satisfaction guarantee and 1 year warranty. Technician was supposed to show up today between 8a.m. and 12 noon. Never showed, never called. I had to call at 12:30 and they said the technician would call me right back to give an estimated time of arrival. Never called. I called again at 1:15p.m. and told them I wanted to get rid of the set and that I did not want to pay any restocking fee. They took my credit card # and information and supposedly will be calling me within 24 hours to arrange to remove the washer and dryer. Supposedly I won't have to pay any restocking fee. Alleluia. I'm going to look into a traditional top loader that my husband is able to fix should anything go wrong. Hopefully they still make this in a non-computerized style somewhere. If not, I will research foreign made and I will only go with word of mouth reviews from people I know who are satisfied with the product they bought. No more consumer report lies for me.
35 - Letty Templeton
we have now been without a washer for over 3 month!! Thank god the repair man that we are using has loaned us a washer. Although it is a basic model which runs hot water at least i can wash towels and sheets and some other necessities..but as far as some of my good clothes that cant be washed in hot not only do we have to find a washateria but we also have that expense .....we have been put off 3 times on this mother board saying that it has been back ordered and then we were told there was a strike at the plant that makes it and now we have been told that it might be recalled... we bought several appliances from sears when we remodeled our house, and three of them have already had to be repaired.. unfortunately the repairmen have to catch the flack.... why doesnt sears take responsibility for their product. they sure didnt mind taking our money!!!!!!
36 - Rob
Our Kenmore FE Loader worked for about 6 months, and now we are in the same boat. The ring in the front loosens over time and leaks into our basement. We have had 4 technicians "fix" this issue only to have it leak again with a week.
We actually had a technician document that the product is faulty and the washer needs to be replaced. Sears over-ruled his recommendation and requested that we have yet another tech come out and examine the issue. He "fixed" it today and then told us about how we don't know how to do laundry.
We purchased all of the extended plans etc. and still Sears refuses to accept that it is broken.
In fact their "lemon law" department told us the front door is not a functioning part of the washer and does not qualify as a defect requiring replacement of the machine. Can someone explain how to me how to run a front-end loader without a front end?
We are now seeking legal advice. I will update this log if I get any promising news.
37 - DEBI GOVERO
I PURCHASED MY SET MAY 24, 2006. I HAVE HAD REPAIRMEN OUT HERE TWICE. YES, THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE WASHER. THIS LAST TIME, IT WAS FLASHING A CODE THAT TOLD THE REPAIRMAN "SLOW DRAIN" ??? TROUBLE IS, I UNPLUGGED IT, WAITED FOR THE REPAIRMAN. HE DIDN'T SHOW ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, AS PROMISED. WE THEN WENT ON VACATION, RETURNED ON SEPTEMBER 20TH. THE WASHER HAS BEEN UNPLUGGED THAT WHOLE TIME. WHEN THE REPAIRMAN SHOWED UP, IT WORKED FINE!!! HE EXPLAINED THAT WHATEVER WAS CAUSING IT TO DRAIN SLOWLY, "PAPER OR SOMETHING", COULD HAVE DISSOLVED IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND NOW IT WORKS FINE!! THAT WAS FRIDAY, 9/26/08. HE LEAVES, MY DAUGHTER COMES HOME FROM COLLEGE, WITH HER 8 LOADS OF LAUNDRY!! WASHER WASHED ONE LOAD, AND QUIT. ONLY BUTTONS THAT WORKED WAS POWER AND OFF!!! I UNPLUGGED IT, AND CALLED THE 1-800 #. THEY ONLY COME TO MY AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY!!! ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, REPAIRMAN SHOWS UP, CAN'T FINE THE STICKER THAT HAS THE MODEL NUMBER SO HE REFUSES TO WORK ON IT, NOT ONLY THAT HE CALLED WHOEVER, AND THEN COMES TO TELL ME THAT THEY ARE GOING TO "REFUND MY MONEY". I SAID, WHO IS GOING TO REFUND MY MONEY?? HE SAYS "FOR THE MASTER PROTECTION PLAN", WE CAN'T WORK ON ANY MACHINE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A MODEL NUMBER!!! I HAVE THE ORIGINAL RECEIPTS, ALL PAPERWORK, SHOWING MODEL NUMBERS FOR BOTH WASHER AND DRYER, BOTH BOUGHT ON THE SAME DAY. DOESN'T MATTER!!! I WENT TO LOCAL STORE WHERE I BOUGHT IT, TOLD THEM MY PROBLEM. HE SHOWED ME THE STICKER WHERE THE MODEL NUMBER IS. A STICKER ON THE INSIDE OF THE MACHINE, RIGHT UNDER THE LID! WHERE IT DOES GET WET????? YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE STICKY STUFF, WHERE THE STICKER USED TO BE!!! SERIOUSLY, WHO PUTS A STICKER ON THE INSIDE OF THE MACHINE WITH THE MODEL NUMBER!!?? I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME METAL PLATE OR SOMETHING! I BEGGED, ISN'T IT ANYWHERE ELSE??? BECAUSE A STICKER CAME OFF, THEY WON'T FIX MY WASHER????? I DID PURCHASE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY.....5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY!!! NOW, THEY WON'T FIX IT, AND ARE GOING TO REFUND MY MONEY I PAID FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY?? I WANT MY WASHER FIXED!!!! HELP!!! I DID ALL THE "RIGHT" THINGS. BOUGHT "TOP OF THE LINE", "KENMORE ELITE", OASIS HE, CANYON CAPACITY. QUIETPAK 9!!!! BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY....5 YEAR COVERAGE? REMEMBER, I BOUGHT THIS MAY 24, 2006. NOW, A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS LATER, THEY WON'T FIX IT, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A MODEL NUMBER OR SERIAL NUMBER....STICKER!!!! I TOO USE MY MACHINES!! I HAVE 7 KIDDOS STILL AT HOME, ONE THAT COMES HOME FROM COLLEGE AND BRINGS HER LAUNDRY. I LIVE ON A FARM. YES, I USE MINE, THUS THE REASON I BOUGHT THE BIGGEST ONE THEY HAD!! AND YES, I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT SEARS!! I JUST WANT THEM TO FIX MY MACHINES.........
38 - Jenn
To all of you who have complained about the Sears Oasis line of washers and dryers - I am right there with you. But I must urge you to contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357 and file a complaint. If enough people file complaints about this product, then they will launch an investigation. I have both the washer and dryer. I purchased them in March of 2006. I did not purchase a extended warranty. I started having problems very early on, but then in February of '07, the motherboard on the dryer went out. Took them 3 months to fix! Now, the power supply mother board on the washer has gone out! I refuse to wait that long to get it fixed and I called every number I could find for Sears to complain. I am getting action, but still have dirty wet clothes locked in my washer!
Please don't just complain on websites like this, but take action! The FTC personnel were very nice and actually urged me to get online on these type of complaint websites to encourage others who are unhappy with these poorly built, poorly tested appliances that cost us all an arm and a leg and now don't work as promised to do something about it!
39 - Sherry
I bought my oasis set in may of 2006. Tech was at my house 6 times in the year or manuf. warrenty. You should not have that many problems with a new appliance in the first year. The tech that came out usually the same one said that It's a new model and the techs did not know how to fix them. They were resorting to the books that come with the machine. Ok, that was 06 I had problems off and on in 07 and now in 08 just a few months ago my machine has a mind of it's own. I turn it on and it has to finish calibrating before it will let me select anything. It also beeps non stop. Once load is done I have to immediatly remove my load other wise it starts spitting water back into the machine. not to mention it still beeps the whole time. I have to unplug it from the wall when not in use because it will come on by itself in the middle of the snd beep and start spurting water. It's a horrible machine I did not purchase extended warrenty either because I did surf the net to see if there were any complaints and looked at consumer reports. It was to new of a machine for people to start realizing the magnitude of problems this machine was going to have. My dryer no flashes F45 and stops running. I too had a Ge for about 15 years and NEVER had a problem. I think I'll just buy a new set and it will not be Kenmore and won't be from Sears....
40 - Jacki Unger
Seems like most all the problems concentrate around early 2006 - that's when I remodeled & wanted top of the line appliances (hopefully to last for my duration). I'd owned Kenmore appliances for 50 years & my parents before me & swore by our choice. I purchased the Kenmore Elite HE Oasis (special ordered black).
That was April, the 1st service call was 12/28/06 & there have been about 4 since, & I'm expecting another tomorrow. One of the major problems - couldn't shut the d... thing off, had to flip the breaker, then there were all kinds of wierd codes - demonic machine had a mind of it's own. What a disappointed this store has become.
41 - Heloise
Wow. The comments on here are funny. I buy ALL Sears appliances. I had a refrigerator that I had for nearly 10 years and I bought the house with it, so it was way over 10 years old. I had to just give it away because it still worked after many years and no repairs.
I bought the bottom drawer refrig to replace that, about $800, the low-end washer $200, and the HE washer $700.00 all around the same time.
I am very happy with my choices. And why I am surprised at these comments is that Sears is a phantom in that they don't make this stuff. My washer is made by Whirlpool or somebody else. I saw the exact same one in a store but with a different name and $100 more.
That's why I'm surprised. It's who made it not where you bought it.
Heloise
42 - Wendy
Wow...should I sell my Kenmore Elite dryer before it starts freaking out on me? I just bought it used and got it for a real good deal...no wonder!
43 - Cory949
The Kenmore Elite He3 and He4 have numerous design flaws. There are even a few class action lawsuits occuring. KNOWN issues should be warranted, period. (Hence the class action lawsuits) We did not design the circuit boards with cheap non-humidity proof switches. Didn't Sears/Whirlpool know that it gets damp near washers and dryers? Try this fix, it works for me each time I need to run a load.
44 - Diane
I bought 5 new Kenmore products in June of 2005. Washer, dryer, fridg, microwave and dishwasher. Before the warranty was up, I had to have work done on 4 of them and now my dryer has went for the second time!!! I have always bought Kenmore products because they last forever but fixing 4 out of 5 and they are only 3yrs old is making me nuts. Yes, I was offered the extended warranty/master protection plan but it is very expensive and I have never had this much trouble before and never twice on the same item. I am wondering if Sear/Kenmore is making new items that are not as good just to get you frustrated enough to buy all the extra warranty crap. There are products bought in the 70's that are still in working order. I expect to get a lemon now and then but really, 4 out of 5 all bought at the same time?????? Probably won't buy anymore Kenmore products!
45 - Ken
Wow, after 34 years our Kenmore top loading washer died. Kenmore=Whirlpool on some models, or Frigidaire on others, then they tell me Whirlpool is owned by Maytag. Maybe I'll get washboard and a bucket. So I'm looking at a Bosch, solid German-made for 50 years? Similar prices and a better warranty....if I can believe anyone? K
46 - Sherry
I bought an Elite washer and dryer back in 2001..when the touch controls first came out. I started having trouble with wash cycle not starting very early on (18 mo) but if you shut it down it would start next time. Now it works about half the time..the rest of the time, I use the diagnostics program to get it to agitate..Very disappointed as I love the features.
Pondered replacing motherboard ourselves, but due to repairman saying usually motor would burn up shortly anyway, we have not.
One thing I think contributed to this problem is power surges and brownouts--we are in rural area and had low power periods daily--especially when local factories would start up. We had to replace many things that had a circuitboard in them, like TV, microwave, computer, 3 phone systems--in a few year period. Got to be any time there was a thunderstorm the electric would go on and off quickly, and I would just get the keys to go buy a new phone system! An IS person at work told me I should put a surge protector--at least one!--on anything with a computer circuit, to protect it. I have done that, using the small ones for radios, etc, and it has helped. Unfortunately, I didn't think about the washer and dryer! But it was too late for them anyway by the time I found out.
I think with all the info coming out now about things made in China--food etc--we need to look hard at buying items that we know were manufactured properly. My daughter was engaged to a young man from mainland China for a year, his parents came here to exchange gifts, as is their custom..it was ironic that when I shopped for their gift--everything I looked at as representative of our culture--was made in CHina! Once I started looking, it was shocking..just how much industry and jobs have gone somewhere else. And we don't care because the item is $5 or $10 cheaper than it was 20 years ago.
As long as I am on my soapbox..as an economics major long ago, one of the foundation theories was allocation of scarce resources..we cannot continue to buy appliances of metal and plastic and hazmat materials, and toss them out after a year or two because they no longer work. Likewise, I should not have to get rid of my 6 year old Cadillac (which I also love) with only 115000 mi because the repair bills are breaking me! (plus the fact that it has depreciated to a value of only $9900 from the original $42000, my husband hates it but I like to buy American and I love a cushy car as we travel a lot).
It is time that America returned to quality, not quantity. The natural resources are simply not going to be available for us to continue to use the majority of the worlds raw materials and then just throw them away. As we are a market economy, we vote by where we spend our money..we have had a great ride, but it is time to protect the future of the world..we cannot have it all indefinitely.
47 - ashley
Boy...I figure I'll just add my wonderful story to the mix...I purchased a Kenmore Elite HE 5t. Last Sunday. The machince cost $1399, I thought I was getting a deal when I got the closeout floor model price of $800.00 The machine was delivered and installed (an extra 75 dollars, plus the 10 for the removal - of a machine I wish I would have kept mind you). I tried my machine for the first time last night, and after a few F20 errors, I now have a destroyed bathroom floor, a ruined hallway carpet (as the amount of water left the bathroom carpet and seeped under the wall), and a water damage antique hope chest. The water the entered the machine did not leave through the drain, nor did it stay in the drum, it leaked out from underneath the machine and into the carpet. The repair man has just left and found that the one of the hoses that sensed the water level in the machine wasn't even connected. Connecting the hose and fixing the problem would have just been too easy though. It didn't solve the problem. I've got the one year warrenty from time of purchase...after seeing all of the problems you've had with this product, I'm not even going to try for a new machine. I wish I had my 20 year old machine...
48 - Paula Jackson
I purchased a Kenmore "elite" washer and dryer about three years ago and have had nothing but problems with the washer. It seems the only thing"elite"about it is the multitude of errors that seem to occur during a wash cycle. I have given up on Sears and their contracted service "repair" guys. I will NEVER buy Sears again. Their quality of service and product is laughable.
49 - StephC
We bought the Kenmore Elite way back when they first came out. I had researched for quite some time before buying, and bought this set because it was the "Best." Ha! I had so many problems with that washer. I can't even remember how many times I had the techs come out to fix it. I kept buying the extended warranties every year because I knew I would have to have someone come out at least once a year. At one point, the lady I was on the phone w/ to schedule another appointment said that if I had to have someone come out one more time, they would replace it under the lemon law. Well, I had to call someone again, and was told that nope, I was told wrong, because they had to REPLACE parts 3 times, not just service it and fix it 3 times. I was LIVID! So, once again my washer wouldn't work, tech came out the very next day and the washer worked fine so there was nothing he could do about it. The very next day after that, same thing happened and it wouldn't work. This time, while I was on the phone to schedule them again, I recorded what it was doing to prove to the tech what was going on with it. Once the lady heard I was recording it, she put me on hold and a few minutes later another lady came on the phone and said because I had had so many problems over the years with this washer, they were going to replace it for me. FINALLY!!!! OMG, I was so thrilled to hear that. So, after all of the crap I had gone through over the years, they finally jumped when they found out I was recording it. I finally went with a Samsung washer, I've had it for over a year and NO problems with it at all. I LOVE it! But let me tell you, I was so nervous picking out a washer. I had supposedly bought "the best" and it was a junker from the get go. I read all of the reviews, researched over and over, and finally just had to bite the bullet and pick one. Now, the dryer (the elite from kenmore) isn't working, and I have decided I am buying a cheapy one. Not spending another penny towards it.
50 - Rajesh Lahoti
I am having the exact same issue - why don't we file a class action lawsuit and see if that gets Sears' attention?
51 - CHRISTY
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE F1 KEEPS COMING ON ABOUT 7 TIMES A LOAD. I HAVE TO HIT STOP AND START AGAIN AND AFTER THE 7TH TIME IT FINISHES THE LOAD. I CAN'T BELIEVE I PAID SO MUCH FOR A PIECE OF JUNK. I CAN'T BELIEVE SEARS HAS NOT RECALLED ALL OF THESE. I'VE ONLY HAD THEM 18 MONTHS AND AM SO DISAPPOINTED. I WILL NEVER BUY A SEARS PRODUCT AGAIN!
52 - Vincent J. Feconda
I bought the Kenmore elite osasis washer, what a mistake! This washer is a piece of junk. It has ruined all my cloths. It rips them to shreds including 1200 thread count sheets, leaks some type of oil, (yes they have replaced the transmission twice)which stains my cloths and leaves the cloths in a twisted ball which inturn throws water all over my laundry room.
I have had 4 differient repaire men out here 5 times and it still isn't fixed.One told me to only put one sheet in at a time. The error light comes on all the time and you have to add water to the fabric softener port.
THIS IS ONE PIECE OF JUNK! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SEARS PRODUCT AGAIN! I make sure to tell everybody of my problem with Sears and have steered at least 20 people who were in the market to buy a washer to go to Lowes or someplace else, anyplace but Sears.
Instead of giving Sears's top brass a "Performace bonus" they should be fired!
53 - Dan
Bought a entire appliance set for our new home, paid 500 dollar install fee, first the Sears delivery team ran into a power poll backing up when they missed my drive way, then they just took the appliances out of the boxes and stuck them in the holes where they go, when they left nothing was installed or worked, had to call 3 more tech's to come out and do what sears said was an install. Sears has seen the last of me.
54 - Mary Kay
we purchased our Kenmore Elite Oasis HE washer & dryer in MArch of 2006. The washer quit working before the first year warranty expired. Sears replaced the "mother board". Within three months it quit again. Same problem. This time because of the time involved with Sears repair service we had an independent service company repair it. At that time my husband was in the hospital with congestive heart failure and I could not be home at the times Sears requested. Since then the dryer has been out of commission several times "F" codes flashing. We ordered a new mother board and my husband replaced it. That has only lasted one week and now it is flashing again. Every encounter with Sears has been unsatisfactory. We are retired on a fixed income and purchased these machines so we would not have any problems. We also read the consumer reports that were positive. This has turned out to be the biggest nightmare in our 50 years of marriage. Never again.
55 - Linda S
DO NOT BUY THESE! Kenmore Elite Oasis Canyon washer and dryer. Big mistake. I have had all of the problems that everyone else has had. First the board on the dyer goes,they did replace the dryer. Then the washer goes off balance all the time. The repair guy told me I wasn't putting the laundry in evenly! PLEASE! The hinges rusted out on the washer lid, clothes come out of washer with big dry spots on them and the clotes never smell clean,the water cycles kept cycling, needed a new board, the dryer is always flashing AF(low air flow). You would think that the dryer would shut off when this happens, no, it continues to run and will not shut off by itself. This is a fire hazard if you ask me. Thank goodness we purchased a warranty. The sales people at Sears just shake their heads when we tell them. We just bought a new set that does not have any fancy electronic control panel. Just the old fashioned turn the knob and push the button and the washer has an agitator. It is however another Sears product. It is the 800 series. I pray that we don't have anymore problems. We did by another warranty though. What recourse do we have??? I would like to sell the Oasis set, but would feel very guilty in doing so. I think we will donate.
56 - T.R.
We too have experienced the marginal quality of appliances with the SEARS name on it. We bought several new appliances from them (washer/dryer/refirgerator) and two of the three failed within two years. The "frig" has failed several times and on one occassion could've started a fire. In fact, we called the fire department because we could not locate where the nearly invisible smoke was coming from. It took the fire department nearly an hour to find it themselves. I too have worked for large companies selling large appliances and the customer service is no longer part of the Sears culture. I can give you folks an even better example. One of the gifts we bought for our son one Christmas was an extra battery for a power drill (Sears model.) The clerk "guessed" at what we needed saying he could exchange it. Guess what, when he did they charged him five dollars to restock. I am suspect of people on this thread who are avidly defending Sears, I suspect they may be employees or stock holders otherwise it makes no sense. We too will no longer shop at Sears, nor will either of our sons. BTW..we are essentially cash customers. Oh yeah, as far as extended warranties...oh please! One of the companies I worked for paid us a perk to sell that crap because it's a numbers game for them. They aren't concerned about the consumer. It's another way to dip into the customer's pocket. I've seen those companies find loopholes in ext. warranties as well. If you build a good product that is reliable OR slap your name on one you represent as reliable then an ext. warranty should not even be mentioned. Problem is...Sears does not equal quality any longer.
57 - Mutz
In the three years we have had our front loading Kenmore washer from Sears the repair men have been out about a half dozen times. We did by the extended warrantee at $188 but we were billed $350.00 we refused the charge, Sears said "Sorry, that happens alot"
Two months ago the guy comes out and replaces the pump, gives us the part and tells us to NOT use HE compatible soap, only REAL HE. Oh, where is THAT in the booklet? He says it's now in the new contracts.
I've been married 30 years and prior to this 1500 dollar lemon our washers lasted 12 years and 15 so why would we even think that this new and improved version would not be just as great.
It's not. Sears has gone down hill with service and they don't back up the product.
The last repair man said we need a new pump, thinking were were in luck because the part was under warrantee the repair man stated that the pump was not replaced. Unfortunately we were smart to ask for theh part but stupid to toss it out, who would have guessed it was a fake part! UURRRGGGG.
Also our close come out with oil like stains on them and that I can not figure out. We have been using the washer in the basement, a Maytag that is 10 years old, bought it off Craigs list and works great. I'm done with Sears and their front LOADS the offer.
58 - Anthony
I sympathize with the folks who have posted issues with Kenmore products. I shelled out over $1,600 for a Kenmore Elite HE4 washer and dryer set also thinking that I was buing a top of the line product from a company that stands behind their products. I was way off. I have had nothing but problems with both units and I refuse to pay for the $300 - $400 in per unit estimates to fix the issues - error codes, door locks, mildew smells, drum vibrations, etc. I have resorted to a home remedy for the washer and I am honestly using furniture packing rubber bands to suspend the control unit from the washer frame to prevent vibrations from locking up a cycle. It is really too bad. You open the covers of these and they look brand new, but perform like crap. My previuos washer and dryer set was an el cheepo GE that lasted 15 years and was still donatable when I upgraded to Kenmore Elite. I agree with other posts in that I should not have to buy a warranty for an elite product, but I should have been suspect with only a one year manufacturer warranty. I am sure my Kenmore Elite's will be parked out on my curb very shortly awaiting retirement to landfill. I have heard great things about Bosch durability from first hand experience of friends and family. Will look hard at this brand for my next purchase.
59 - beverley Pearce
To all of you who have had problems with the Kenmore Elite Oasis washer and dryer,I sympathize with you.
Can we all start a class action suit against Sears? Does anyone know how to get this started? We bought a Kenmore Elite Oasis H3 and matching dryer in August of 2006. Two months ago problems started. We have an extended warranty but the hours we have waited for repair-men has added up to 28 hours so far. First, there was a rattle during the spin cycle and that took two repair calls to fix. Next, the door came unlocked in the middle of a cycle and the machine would not spin. The repair-man ran the machine on a short cycle with no clothes and it worked but an hour after he left the machine stopped again. So far we have had seven repair visits in the past two months. On the last visit the repair man ordered a part (a new board) but the wrong part was shipped and he had to order the correct part. Finally, we are waiting for the part and another visit from the technician. This has been a stressful situation that has caused waisted hours and dirty laundry for months. We paid 2,839.00 for the top of the line washer and dryer without knowing that these products were lemons. Is there any recourse for the consumer? I appreciate any feedback you can provide. Thanks
60 - Elizabeth
I wish a hundred times that I would have bought a cheaper washer and dryer. At least I wouldnt be out Of alot of money. I sure have learned my lesson but a very hard way.This washer and dryer is nothing but a bunch of junk.
61 - Maria
of dissatisfied customers. I bought the Elite series 2 years ago. The washer has been trouble since the beginning and is now broken. It will Power on but will not start. I hope to get it fixed quickly and dump them both before the dryer breaks. I am no longer a Sears customer. I guess I am spoiled because my old GE washer and dryer were over 20 years old and never gave me any trouble. They were still working great when I "upgraded". :(
62 - Angel
I think and expect that the future of the washers and dryers machines in America are definetely with Microsoft.
F...k Kenmore , Whirlpool, GE, and others. I'll be waiting for my Apple washer & dryer some of these days.
Meanwhile we can go to the river to wash clothes by hand on the rocks and socialize like in the times of our grandmothers.
63 - Mary OK
I've read these comments but I still plan to go forward with a Kenmore washer and dryer - but I will buy the warranty plans because it seems all of these new appliances are electronic rather than mechanical. I wonder if we are all overdoing it with technology.
I bought a Kenmore Elite Dishwasher and I am very happy with it after four months. Bosch makes many of the dishwashers, but I think my model is a Frigidare.
It used to be that you could buy a washer/dryer and they would last forever, but now the most you are going to get out of them is 12 years.
It just seems that with these new high efficiency front load models, things happen. I saw the repair figures from consumer reports. Kenmore didn't rank with the least repairs, but pretty close.
The HE5 washer/dryers are very highly rated. I notice that the washer I plan to purchase is a new model not yet rated. It is also three hundred dollars cheaper. I had to print out the product manuals and figure out what was different. For three hundred dollars less, you would think it would be a major change but not what I could see.
I have had only good experiences with Sears repair service and delivery and the sales experience in the store.
The lesson I learned here is that I should buy the protection agreements. The technology is still too new, it seems. It is disappointing that a washing machine and dryer aren't going to last 25 years like they used to.
64 - Sear's Products are 'Made in China' CRAP
2 years ago, we too bought a Sears Kenmore Elite, Oasis He Washer & Dryer ('sale' cost was over $1300), based on the very high marks given by Consumers Report. Being that I am an Engineer and fairly mechanically inclined, we passed on the extended warranty. Just after the 1 year basic warranty ran out, the dryer died. The Owners manual indicated that it was the main Control board. I ordered a new one, installed it and it ran fine for about a week, then died again. Since it was giving the same errors again, I ordered yet another board and this one didn't work at all. When I called customer service, they refused to believe me, stating that I must have installed it improperly (replacing the board is basically a plug and play operation that any idiot could figure out)!!! I agreed to pay to have a Sears technician come out and check the problem. Yup, the Main control board was bad!! He had to order yet another board, as the company doesn't allow the Technicians to keep parts on hand. Each time a part was ordered, it took a week to arrive, so my Dryer was out of service for a total of about 4 weeks. Once the Tech had the 4th board installed, the machine seems to work correctly. I had to fight with Sears to get my money back for the 2 BAD boards that they sent me, but finally they did refund the money (only after I agreed to pay for the extended warranty) Ohhh and by the way, the Control Boards are manufactured in CHINA!!!
Now less than 2 years from the date of purchase and my Washer is acting up.. continued F1 errors, forcing us to babysit the wash cycle. With all the reported problems, it seems that these products should be recalled. Maybe I'll just pull the 'Discount Tire' return policy on them and shove the piece of CRAP through their store front!!! With all internal parts coming from China, Top of the line products are just as much a piece of junk as the cheap stuff. Guess I won't waste my money at SEARS anymore. Ohhh and I cancelled my subscription to Consumers Report too. I can find better, more accurate information reading the blogs by other feed up consumers, than the stuff Consumers Reports gets paid to publish!!!
65 - Sear's Products are 'Made in China' CRAP
We just received a notice from Sear's, stating that our Washer qualify's for a FREE upgrade of the control board. It will take 2 weeks to get the part and then we have to schedule the repair technician to come out and install it. At least we don't have to pay...
Now if they admit there is a problem with the Dryers, maybe I'll start shopping at Sears again. Of course I'll only be buying American made products...
66 - JackBlackMack
if you had bought your washers from "Joe's Appliance Store" and it was a lemon YOU PEOPLE would not be calling for Joe's head here in this forum. You'd be raising hell about Whirlpool (as Whirlpool is the company that makes these washers).
And "Joe" would not have even offered to service your units up to a full year (like Sears will IF YOU choose to not buy the protection agreement).
You people really need to get a grip. If you didn't want the protection agreement then you only had the mfg warranty to go on. And if you don't know what a mfg warranty is you really should read one. They are TOTALLY WORTHLESS.
But sears trys to sell you a product they offer "a protection agreement" ...not "an extended warranty". HAVE YOU EVER READ WHAT A PROTECTION AGREEMENT OFFERS??....there are thirty-two (32) points to a protection agreement that has you covered for either 3 or 5 years.
So stop your b1tching or quit buying from sears.
go to home depot or lows....where the do not even offer a "protection agreement" !!
67 - C L Price
I totally agree! I'm having the same issues with my Kenmore Elite washer and dryer, they are less than 3 years old. To date, between them they have had 4 service calls. I previously had a Maytag washer and dryer for 26 years with only one service call. I too did alot of research before my purchases. I will NOT believe Comsumer Reports anymore AND will NOT purchase another Sears products EVER! If and when I find that Lady Kenmore...she's dead meat!
68 - Mary
My Elite washer too just decided not to work anymore. I did some research and found out that there had been a lawsuit couple of years ago. I called Sears and asked them about it they told me that my washer had to have numerous repairs. The lawsuit was settled long time ago though. What about us? We are stuck with these lemons. Why should we pay for numerous repairs and go through hell to get rid of these junks we paid over $1000.
69 - Jean
Let me just say that Sears Warranty's are a God send. They truly are. We've had 2 DVR TV's go bad on us in the last 4 years (mind you these are $2000 televisions), and the warranty covered the maintenance, parts (over $600 at the time), and FULLY replaced BOTH after they found that they couldn't fix them!! Also, the replacements are for comparable models, so they don't short you on your replacement either. It has been the best $160 we've ever spent. I'm not a huge warranty person, but I would recommend them to anyone.
70 - C-Note
I Bought The Kenmore Elite with Calypso Wash Motion. What a joke and a P.O.S. Waste of fricken money. I should have bought an old cheapo. This thing is the biggest piece of garbage. I may as well just put it out on the curb and trash it in the landfill. I have battled this pile of junk for 2 years. It gives error codes every single time I have done a wash. I mean every single time.
71 - Nancy
We bought the Kenmore Elite front loader washer and dryer 6 years ago. I cracked the handle to the dryer the other week, will have to order one for about $22 ... other than that it is wonderful with no problems.
72 - Ron
I just bought a washer from sears. First of all I can't believe that all you people who are coming down on the people who expect their 800-1500 item to last over a few years! That is a whole lot of money to some people in the real world. You guys must work for sears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RON
PS. Sears & Kenmore used to be a great name, apparently not anymore. I'm glad the rest of you people can afford to spend enough money to replace your washers and dryers in 2-5 years. I'm totally disabled. Try living on Social Security after paying into it for 30+ years!
73 - Tom
Everyone should know that our all-knowing Federal government, through its Energy Star program website, makes no secret about its preference for new-type HE (high efficiency) front load and top load washers and has even designed its certification energy consumption standard in such a way that the older-design conventional top load machines with simple manual controls (many of which last 8-10 years or more) cannot be certified. The Dept. of Energy soon plans to mandate these standards. So you will have to keep buying these electronically-controlled junky washers - you won't have a choice. After filing protests at first, claiming that the government's move would cost domestic jobs and cut out the poor from affordable washers (old style machines cost as little as $300) the major appliance manufacturers saw the advantage to this scheme and now enthusiastically support it. Now they can keep selling you $1000 washers every 2-5 years!!
By the way, to measure the savings advantage of the new HE washers, the government ASSUMES A WASHER LIFE OF ELEVEN YEARS. How many of you think that is an accurate picture of today's washing machines?
74 - Darren
Baught the expensive kenmore elite series washer and dryer. Washer worked good for 6 months and started having a sour oder. Called technical "NO" support, and they asked if I baught the maintenance agreement. "Why should I when I'm paying for the name brand and a large company to back it up?" They told me to flush with vinegar and it should go away. It did not.
It has had the sour smell all the time. After reading all the bad things about the Elite series, I feel sears needs to trash the series or become a second rate appliance manufacturer. I also own the microwave, it has not been great, nor has the frig. I've been had once, but never again by sears.
Dear Sears,
Your product do NOT meet your past reputation.
Very disappointed X-customer.
Never again!
Darren
75 - Lou
Has anyone looked inside the Oasis washer when it is in the wash cycle?? The water does not cover the clothes at all. My clothes are not nearly as clean as with my old Maytag.